Reversing drive



Aug. 5, 1958 A. HALE s 2,845,807

REVERSING' DRIVE Filed Aug. 10, 1953 4 Sheet-Shee't 1 I I INVENTOR M@564."

ATTORNEY-5 Aug. 5, 1958 c. A. HARLESS 2,845,807

A REVERSING DRIVE Filed Aug. 10, 1955 4 Sheets-Shet s INVENTOR BY 1/ 6 A-7 ATTORNEY 3' Aug. 5, 1958 c. A. HARLESS 2,845,807

REVERSING DRIVE Filed Aug. 10, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATT NEYJUnited States Patent REVERSING DRIVE Charles A. Harless, Riverside,Conn., assignorto R. Hoe & Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation ofNew York Application August 10, 1953, Serial No. 373,125

9 Claims. c1. 74378) This invention relates to reversing drives, andmore particularly to reversing drives for printing machines.

In printing machinery, it is frequently necessary to reverse therotation of a printing couple, together with part or all of the inkingmechanism and other mechanisms associated therewith, as, for example, inproviding for a desired web lead through a plurality of couples topermit printing in multicolor of the desired pages in the product.Provision of such reversal will be made by means of clutchingarrangements of a suitable character, and the present invention isconcerned with arrangements of this type.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved reversing clutcharrangement of the type indicated and requiring no special tools.

A further object is to provide a clutching arrangement of the typeindicated, requiring a minimum opening through the housing for thedrive.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drive and clutchingarrangement in which the shafting and clutch elements are maintained incoaxial relationship and wear and vibration are reduced to a minimum.

A drive embodying the invention in a preferred form will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawing and the featuresforming the invention will then be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a horizontal cross section of the drive, taken on the line1-1 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the drive of Figure 1, on a somewhatenlarged scale and with housing structure removed to show the parts;

Figure 3 is an elevation view, looking in the direction of the arrows3--3 of Figure 1, and with housing structure removed;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, on an enlarged scaleand looking in the opposite direction from the arrows; and

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 4.

In Figure 1, there is indicated at the general frame structure on whichthe drive and driven elements are supported, together with shafts 11 and12 for driving the cylinders of a printing couple, and also the meshinggears 13 and 14 for these elements. A bevel gear 15 is also carried byshaft 11, and as herein shown, coupled to the gear wheel 13 by means ofshear pins. The bevel gear 15 drives a bevel gear 18 fixed to a shaft 19for driving inking mechanism associated with the printing cylinders ofthe unit, and as shown in Figure 2, gear 15 is driven by either of twobevel gears 20, 21 from a vertical shaft 22, part of which is shown, andwhich is driven by a motor or by gearing connected to a main shaft andlocated at some suitable point in the machine. A clutching deviceincluding a slidable sleeve 23 is provided for coupling either of thebevel gears 20, 21 to the vertical shaft 22, as desired, so as to permitdriving the unit in either direction.

The structure and mounting of the gears 13 and 15 are ice shown indetail in Figure 5. As there shown, the gear 13 comprises a rim 30 onwhich the gear teeth are formed and which is carried by a body 31 keyedor otherwise secured on the shaft 11. Bolts 32 screwed into an annularmember 33 bolt the rim 30 in position on the gear body 31. The gear 15comprises a ring 24 on which the gear teeth are formed and whichissecured to a body 25 by bolts 35. The body 25 is provided with abushing 26 and is rotatably supported on a bushing 27 carried on the endof the shaft 11. A washer 34, secured on the shaft 11 by bolts 34,prevents axial movement of the gear 15 relative to the shaft 11. Lugs 17project radially from the body member 25 of the gear 15 and similar lugs16 project from the body 31 of the gear 13. The lugs.

16 and 17 are provided with bushings 28 positioned to receive shear pins36 which are held in place by retaining "20 and 21 comprises separatebearing elements rotatably supporting the shaft and bevel gears fromwebs 37, 38 and 39, cast integral with the housing structure 40 (Figure3)., The bearing elements carried by the web 37 are bestshown in Figure4- As there indicated, an annular member 41 supports a double rollerbearing 42 which rotatably supports the bevel gear 20 and also maintainsthis gear in position vertically or axially of the shaft 22. Shaft 22,in turn, is supported by a second annular member 43, and ball bearing 44which is held in position by a cap 45 secured to the member 43 by bolts46. Members ing 50, which rotatably supports the gear 21 and alsomaintains it in vertical position. The lower end of shaft 22 is carriedin ball bearing 51 (Figure 3) supported by means of annular element 52and cap or cover plate 53 on the web 39 to which these elements aresecured by bolts 54. The shaft element 22 is preferably formed as aseparate shaft section coupled to upper and lower vertical shaftsections by couplings 55, as indicated.

Affixed to each of the gears 20, 21 by bolts as shown in Figure 5, is aspur spline clutch element 56 or 57 cooperating with'internal splineteeth formed on the clutch sleeve 23. Spur spline clutch elements 58 and59 rotatably fixed to the shaft 22 by means of a key 60, have theirteeth meshing with those of the sleeve 23, so that when the sleeve ismoved upwardly bevel gear 20 is coupled to the shaft 22 and when it ismoved downwardly the lower bevel gear 21 is coupled to this shaft. Inthe intermediate position of Figure 5, neither gear is coupled, so thatthe unit is not driven. The operating mechanism for moving the clutchsleeve comprises a rotatable sleeve 61 carried. a recess formed in themembers 58 and 59 and having bosses or projections 62 which are receivedin cam slots 63 formed in the sleeve 23. As best shown in Figures 2 and3, the cam slot 63 has dwells at its ends and at its center forpositioning the sleeve in the upper or lower coupling positions or inthe central uncoupled position, as desired. This operating structure isgenerally similar to that shown in Harless application Serial No.277,641, filed March 20, l952, for Rotary Shaft Clutch, the presentinvention in this aspect being an improvement thereon, designed toprovide for two-way clutching action.

Patented Aug. 5, 1958.

formed with sockets 66 totake a bar wrench W (Figure l) for turningthe-sleeve element '61. Since the outer sleeve element 23 is held fromrotation relative to shaft 22 by the engaging spline teeth on it and onthe elements 58 and "59",. the: result of turning the inner sleeve 61,will 'be' to move the outer sleeve 23 axially as desired.

As will be apparent, the shaft section 22, and the clutch, gear andbearing elements upon it forma-separable sub-assembly, allpartsof whichmay be accurately aligned and positioned axially with relation to eachother.

also'willbe apparent, in some conditions of operation the bevel gear2001 21 will rotate at the same speed as shaft 22 but in the oppositedirection. The separate bearings 'for the shaft and bevel gears insure,however, that therewill'be no friction between these elements, so thatno wear is involved due to relative rotation as between shaft 22 and thegears 20, 21. The thrust on gear 20 or 21 when coupled with shaft 22 todrive the bevel gear wheel 15 is taken by the adjacent double'rollerbearing'42 or 50 as the case maybe, located immediately adjacent thegear teeth and on the hub of the gear. The accurate positioning of theshaft section 22 and its bevel gears 20, 21 and associated bearingelements permits adjustment of this sub-assembly, so as to reducebacklash between the spline teeth of the clutch elements to a minimum.

It will be observed that the hubs of gears 20 and 21 and also the doubleroller bearings supporting the same areconsiderably elongated in theaxial direction, furnishing'very satisfactory bearing support, and thatonly a very slight axial separation or clearance is provided between theclutch elements 56 and 57 attached to these bevel gears and the clutchstructure 58 and 59 between them. Since the structure may bepro-assembled and then inse'rted sidewise into the openings in thesupporting webs 37, 38 and 39, no more than a running clearance isrequired at these points and an exceptionally compact and solidconstruction is provided. For the same reason, shaft section 22' may beprovided with reduced ends 67, forming' shoulders for positioning thisshaft element vertically. The entire assembly may thus be mountedindependently of the upper and lower shaft sections coupled to it by thecouplings 55, and may be properly related to the gear 15 for obtainingthe best gear action and minimum backlash, couplings 55 permitting suchvery slight misalignment of the vertical shaft sections as may result.

What is claimed is:

1'. A- reversible printing press unit drive comprising, in combination,a bevel driven gear and horizontal shaft driven thereby, a verticaldrive shaft, a pair of bearings supporting said vertical shaft andlocated respectively above and below the said gear, upper and lowerbevel gears surrounding the vertical shaft and meshing with the firstsaid bevel gear, bearings supporting the said upper and lower bevelgears independently of the vertical shaft, and a clutch assembly carriedby said vertical shaft intermediate the upper and lower bevel gears andcomprising means movable lengthwise of the said vertical shaft forcoupling the said vertical shaft selectively to either of the said pairof gears.

2. A reversible printing press unit drive comprising, in combination, abevel driven gear and horizontal shaft driven thereby, a vertical driveshaft, a gear housing and frame structure, a pair of bearings mounted insaid struc- 4 vertical shaft selectively to either of the said pair ofgears.

3. A reversible printing press drive according to claim 2, in which thesaid vertical shaft, upper and lower bevel gears, bearings and clutchare constructed as a subassembly bodily removable from the said gearhousing and frame structure.

4. A reversible printing press unit drive comprising, in combination, abevel driven gear and horizontal shaft driven thereby, a vertical driveshaft section, a pair of bearings supporting said shaft section andlocated respectively above and below the said gear, upper and lowerbevel gears surrounding the shaft section and meshing with the firstsaid bevel gear, bearings supporting the said upper and lower bevelgears independently of the shaft section, a clutch assembly carried bysaid shaft section intermediate the said upper and lower bevel gears andcomprising means movable lengthwise of the said vertical shaft forcoupling the said shaft section selectively'to either of the said pairof gears, and a coupling for drivingly connecting the said shaft sectionto an aligned shaft.

5. A reversible printing press unit drive according to claim 4,comprising also a second coupling for drivingly connecting the saidshaft section to a second aligned shaft.

6. A reversible printing. press unit drive comprising, in combination, abevel driven gear, a pair of driving bevel gears in mesh therewith fordriving the same respectively in forward and reverse directions,bearings rotatably supporting the said driving bevel gears, a driveshaft coaxial with and passing through the said pair of bevel gears, anda clutch assembly mounted on the said shaft between the gears of thesaid pair and comprising an axially movable sleeve for coupling thegears of the said pair selectively to the shaft and having a cam slot,and operating mechanism for the said sleeve comprising an inner sleeverotatably' carried on the shaft, and a projection on the said innersleeve within the said cam slot for moving the coupling sleeve axiallyupon turning of the said inner sleeve:

7. A reversible printing press unit drive according to claim 6, in whichthe cam slot has high, low and middle dwells for positioning thecoupling sleeve in forward, reverse and neutral positions.

8. In a reversible printing press unit drive, the combination with ashaft of a clutch mechanism for coupling the same selectively to a pairof elements to be driven, the said clutch mechanism comprising spurspline clutch members carried by and keyed to the shaft and havingabutting hubs recessed to form a seat for a rotatable sl'eeve, arotatable sleeve carried in the said recess, an axially slidablecoupling sleeve member having internal spline clutch teeth meshing withthe teeth of the said spur spline clutch members and cam slots formed init, the said inner sleeve having projections extending into the said camslots for moving the clutch sleeve axially upon turning of the innersleeve.

9. The combination according to claim 8, in which the cam slots havehigh, low and middle dwells for positioning the coupling sleeve inforward, reverse and new tral' positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS309,172 Tracy Dec. 9,. 1884. 4311066 Levcrich July 1, 1890 803,565 DinaNov. 7, 1905 2,150,150 Burrows Mar. 14, 1939 2,368,885 S-chmitter Feb.6, 1945 2,572,052 Pheazey Oct. 23, 1951. 2,602,347 Miller July8, -2

